The Art of Fasting

According to Wikipedia fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink or both, for a period of time. Because spring is a time of renewal and regeneration, this would seem like the time to plan one, however I'm leaning towards a different type of fast first...one that challenges how we interact with our world and our surroundings (I know you can argue that food does that too and I agree).

An obvious one is a media fast. A media fast involves not watching television, reading any newspapers or magazines, checking or sending any e-mails, or even talking on the phone (read more). Or perhaps the recent technology fast which would include ipods and cell-phones. That would be up to you to define according to what is overwhelming your life. Personally, I think a one day fast is an ideal starting point; the goal being to enhance gratitude, appreciation, creativity, awareness and simply to take a break. Here are some more I thought of:

• "yes" fast or a "no" fast (whichever one you tend to default to most often)
  
• passivity fast (or the "whatever"/"no problem" fast)
• worrying about the environment fast
• urban fast
  
• car fast
  
• being a consumer fast
• negativity fast (you know who you are)
  
• happiness fast (it's ok to be grumpy now and then)
  
• letting go of the "letting go of the ego" fast (sorry Oprah)
• people fast
• ritual fast (in other words a day of spontaneous actions)
• dare I say it..the Tim Horton's fast
  

Some of these may turn out to be fodder for up coming posts, except on the day when I'm doing a blog fast.

Enjoy the weekend,
Birgit

Pesticides in Foods

Why Should You Care About Pesticides?

There is growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can adversely affect people, especially during vulnerable periods of fetal development and childhood when exposures can have long lasting effects. Because the toxic effects of pesticides are worrisome, not well understood, or in some cases completely unstudied, shoppers are wise to minimize exposure to pesticides whenever possible.

Will Washing and Peeling Help?

Nearly all of the data used to create these lists already considers how people typically wash and prepare produce (for example, apples are washed before testing, bananas are peeled). While washing and rinsing fresh produce may reduce levels of some pesticides, it does not eliminate them. Peeling also reduces exposures, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the peel. The best option is to eat a varied diet, wash all produce, and choose organic when possible to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

Click here for a list of the top 43 fruits and vegetables and their rankings

For more information please visit www.ewg.org

Pauline's Place 3rd Annual Garage Sale

Saturday April 5th at Sir James Dunn Cafeteria.
8:30am - 12:30pm
If any individual or agency would like to reserve a table of their own for the event or donate any items please contact the shelter at 759-4663.

CSA's in the Sault

If you are like me you are looking forward to attending the farmer's market again this year. For me it's not just about the food; going to the market gives me a sense of participating in the community. It's a social gathering based on good quality food with a hint of serenity and anticipation thrown in. I love riding the bike there and returning home with a basket full of new and colourful food. Even the craziness of the weather has an appeal, although I do feel badly for the participants, who have to shiver there way through the day. Anyhow, there is another way to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of the farmer's labour and guarantee yourself a basket full of local and seasonal foods every week and that's via the CSA's or Community Supported Agriculture. I'm in the process of collecting information about all the wonderful agricultural entrepreneurs in the Algoma area. Here's information about one that has been gathering steam for over 5 years now (you can look forward to a website/directory from Lee Ann soon).

CSA's in the Sault

Lee Ann also mentioned that they are almost full and gave me the names of two other farmers who still have a few openings.

Sheree McGee: honeybrookorganic@yahoo.ca

Jennie Pearce: jlpearce@shaw.ca

Take the Burnout Test

Part of taking care of yourself involves knowing when you've had enough (knowing what to do about it comes after the process of realization...or in self-help lingo "it's part of the journey"). To assess your stress level, complete the burnout test below. The Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire measures stress on the three levels that comprise the burnout condition, emotional exhaustion (EE), physical fatigue (PF), and cognitive weariness (Cog).

Answer each of the statements below by indicating how often you have the feeling during working hours (this also applies to life as a whole but since we spend so much time at work, it may be best to begin there). Almost always = 1 point; very frequently = 2 points; quite frequently = 3; sometimes = 4; quite infrequently = 5; very infrequently = 6; almost never = 7. Add up your scores for each of the three categories. To find your stress range, see below.

The Burnout Test

1. I feel tired. (PF)

2. I feel physically fatigued. (PF)

3. I feel physically exhausted. (PF)

4. When I get up in the morning to go to work, I have no energy. (PF)

5. I feel fed up. (EE)

6. I feel like my emotional batteries are dead. (EE)

7. I feel burned out in my job. (EE)

8. I feel emotionally fatigued. (EE)

9. I am too tired to think clearly. (Cog)

10. I have difficulty concentrating. (Cog)

11. My thinking process is slow. (Cog)

12. I have difficulty thinking about complex things. (Cog)

(Men whose scores average 3.0 to 3.75 and women who average 3.6 to 4.0 are at the high end of the burnout range and should seek expert help for preventative measures.)

Passport to Unity

Another wonderful event is taking place in the Sault this weekend. Passport to Unity is hosted by the Sault Community Information and Career Centre as a way to welcome newcomers to town through the universal language of food, music and dance.

It's taking place at White Pines Secondary School and the Kiwanis Community Theatre on Saturday, March 29^th, 2008 from 12noon to 5pm.

click here for information regarding Passport to Unity

click here for more in depth information regarding the event

P.S. Personal Fit will be there giving away samples of hummous and pita.

New Directions Course at Sault College

I will be offering a course at Sault College this coming Spring. The course calender is not out yet so here is a sneak peak at some of the details:

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The core focus of the classes will be on exploring new textures, flavors and varieties of health promoting foods and their benefits. Stemming from that will be the importance of resilience, commitment and knowledge as a means of creating transformation in our lives.

New Directions will arm the participants with the knowledge and experience they need in order to make the best decisions for themselves on their wellness journey.

TOPICS

Self evaluation test, the importance of whole foods, keeping energy levels steady, sleep, rest and renewal, food and mood, exercise, taming our health busters, cleansing and detoxification and more.

Start date: Wednesday, April 23

End date: Wednesday, May 2

Time: 7:00 to 9:00 pm

Call me at 945-1538 if you have any further questions.

Have a Happy Easter

Birgit

Tips on How to Eat Seasonal and Local

In the spring, leaf or stalk parts are generally eaten. This may include lettuce, spinach, rhubarb, or asparagus.

In summer, fruit parts dominate and may include berries, tomatoes, peppers, and melons.

During the summer, buy produce from roadside stands, local farms, or farmers’ markets. Look for foods labeled “local.” Ask your grocery store to carry locally grown foods. Visit food cooperatives which often carry locally grown produce, cheeses, grains, and meats.

Buy in bulk during summer and can or freeze the produce. Some examples include: tomatoes, berries, peaches, beets, and applesauce. What a treat to have peaches in February when there is a foot of snow on the ground. Many farms have a variety of berries you can pick yourself. It is quick and easy to freeze berries for the winter. Just place them on a cookie sheet and pop in the freezer. After they are frozen, store them in freezer bags.

Eating seasonally encourages creative cooking. What does one do with all those beets? It is fun to utilize the foods from each season into new and interesting dishes.

Eat local fruit salad—top it with yogurt for breakfast or with whipped cream for dessert.

Too much zucchini? Peel the zucchini with a potato peeler. Then use the peeler to peel the zucchini all the way down to the seeds. This will leave you with a pile of thinly sliced strips that, when cooked, can take the place of pasta. Toss the strips with sautéed onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, and peppers; add Parmesan or Canadian Feta cheese to the top. You can use five or six zucchini easily this way.

Grill the many available summertime vegetables (peppers are outstanding when grilled!). Just brush the vegetables with olive oil and place on the grill, turning frequently.

Use local herbs to season foods throughout the growing season. Try basil with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar or parsley with a cucumber and grain salad. Many herbs are very easy to grow.

In sprig sauté mustard, dandelion or other greens with garlic, onions, salt, and pepper. Serve as a side dish or over pasta or rice.

Eating seasonally can benefit your family, the community, and the environment.

Together the choices we make in our life can create a world that is connected and healthy.

Why Eat with the Seasons?

For many, eating with the seasons is a way of life. Eating seasonally benefits the individual, the family, the larger community, and the environment. For those who are not gardeners, farmers’ markets and other local vendors provide a bountiful array of seasonal fruits and vegetables of which everyone can take advantage.

When produce is trucked across country for out of season distribution (tomatoes in winter, for example), its nutritive value declines. Many vegetables that are shipped long distances are picked early or sprayed to delay ripening. Eating locally grown food can help limit exposure to chemicals and lend support to small regional farms.

Nothing can compare to the freshness of a hand picked tomato from your garden or peas from the farmers’ market. If you grow your own fruits and vegetables without using chemical sprays, you don’t need to peel them. Leaving the peels on fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, apples, and potatoes, adds important minerals, vitamins, and fiber to our diets. Each region has different fruits and vegetables that are in season throughout the year.

Eating seasonally means not eating fresh tomatoes, peas, zucchini, and peppers in winter. It means focusing on the outstanding selection of foods that are available throughout each season. It is exciting to wait for asparagus, rhubarb, beans and peas in the spring; cucumbers, berries, and corn in the summer; winter squash and apples in the fall; and root vegetables in the winter.

Freezing or canning can help provide you with summer foods, like tomatoes or string beans, in winter. Combine all of this with regional products such as local meats, cheeses, maple syrup, and honey, and you have a well-stocked regional and seasonal kitchen!

Throughout the year, the seasonal eater is exposed to a whole variety of different fruits and vegetables. A person who is not a seasonal eater may fall into a cycle of consuming the same foods throughout the year, with little diversity and a greater potential for illness.

Tomorrow...tips on how to eat locally.

Ontario Seasonal Vegetables for Spring

	March	April	May
Asparagus			Peak
Beets without tops	Available	Available
Cabbage Red, Green, Savoy	Available	Available
Carrots without tops	Available	Available	Available
Cucumber Greenhouse	Peak	Peak	Peak
Lettuce Greenhouse	Available	Available	Available
Mushrooms	Available	Available	Available
Onions Cooking	Peak	Peak	Peak
Parsnips	Peak	Peak
Peppers Greenhouse - Red, Yellow & Orange	Available	Available	Peak
Potatoes	Available
Radishes			Available
Rutabaga	Peak	Peak	Peak
Spinach			Available
Sprouts Bean & Alfalfa	Available	Available	Available
Squash Buttercup, Butternut, Hubbard	Available
Tomatoes Greenhouse	Available	Peak	Peak
	March	April	May

Foodland Ontario Site

10 Reasons to Eat Organic ( and save the world)

This is an excerpt from an article that gives us good reason to go organic (unprocessed organic is even better). Think it's too expensive...this week at Romes organic grapes, lemons, oranges and broccoli were either the same price or a few cents more expensive than regular produce.
go to complete article

While an all-organic farming system might mean we'd have to make do with slightly less food than we're used to, research shows that we can rest assured it would be better for us. In 2001, a study in the Journal of Complementary Medicine found that organic crops contained higher levels of 21 essential nutrients than their conventionally grown counterparts, including iron, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin C. The organic crops also contained lower levels of nitrates, which can be toxic to the body.

Other studies have found significantly higher levels of vitamins - as well as polyphenols and antioxidants - in organic fruit and veg, all of which are thought to play a role in cancer-prevention within the body. Scientists have also been able to work out why organic farming produces more nutritious food. Avoiding chemical fertilizer reduces nitrates levels in the food; better quality soil increases the availability of trace minerals, and reduced levels of pesticides mean that the plants' own immune systems grow stronger, producing higher levels of antioxidants. Slower rates of growth also mean that organic food frequently contains higher levels of dry mass, meaning that fruit and vegetables are less pumped up with water and so contain more nutrients by weight than intensively grown crops do.

Milk from organically fed cows has been found to contain higher levels of nutrients in six separate studies, including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, all of which can help prevent cancer. One experiment discovered that levels of omega-3 in organic milk were on average 68 per cent higher than in non-organic alternatives. But as well as giving us more of what we do need, organic food can help to give us less of what we don't. In 2000, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that organically produced food had 'lower levels of pesticide and veterinary drug residues' than non-organic did. Although organic farmers are allowed to use antibiotics when absolutely necessary to treat disease, the routine use of the drugs in animal feed - common on intensive livestock farms - is forbidden. This means a shift to organic livestock farming could help tackle problems such as the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Poor Subsitutes

Ah, finally.... I found an article that sums up all the well-intentioned things we do "for our health" and why they are actually doing the opposite of what we may expect or have been told. It tackles the four main paradoxes in our processed food-obsessed (and over-weight) culture; artificial sweeteners, diet-sodas, chemicals/additives and no-calories foods.

http://www.lifetimefitness.com

St. Joseph's Island Organic Beef

Diena Mckay send me a note about their organic beef farm on St. Joseph's Island. I've included the brochure in PDF format at the bottom of the post.

I am taking orders for sides and I have some available now. It will take about 2 weeks from the time of order. I would need a small deposit and then the freezer order would be filled out. I do deliver to the Sault. The price is $4.00 /lb by the side and is wrapped in paper.

Diena McKay

Northern Lights Energy Systems Ltd.
R.R.#1, Richards Landing,
Ontario Canada P0R 1J0
705-246-2073
info@northernlightsenergy.com

St Joseph's Island Organic Beef

When a Brain Scientist Suffers a Stroke

This is an incredible video on so many levels. It is 18 minutes of astonishing candor and insight. Harvard trained neuroanatomist, Jill Bolte Taylor was only 37 when a brain hemorrhage triggered a stroke. In the period that follows she spends time "to the right of her left hemisphere", very likely a near death experience. Here she tells us about it and offers logical explanations to what is happening to her.

Not only does this moving presentation bring the symptoms of a stroke (some of which are unique to women) to our attention in vivid detail but it also shows that the potential for recovery is a very real possibility.
view the video here

Penokean Hills Farms

I recieved a bunch of information yesterday from Alicia at Penokean Hills Farms about their high-quality, local beef products. All the details are here. She also mentioned that their website will be up and running soon and that they are having a grand-opening on May 3rd....although all of their products are available for purchase now.

If you are interested, they would be happy to send out a brochure and price list. Call (705)971-6328 or e-mail penokeanhillsfarms@gmail.com and leave your address.

I wanted to continue with the post Getting Unstuck from the beginning of the month. There, I talked about becoming aware of something that is not working for you and then finding the baby steps it takes to make changes and move. Moving can be either a physical endeavor or a mental one; but I don't want to qualify it by saying "moving ahead". Any form of change will have some form of progress or regress or both. Setting a goal can help you to see what you would like to happen. It may take a little longer than you thought to get there, hence the potential for a step backward from time to time. A helpful way to sort through this step is with a pen and paper. Writing down what you want to change and putting it somewhere visible on a daily basis is a reminder, as well as a motivator. Don't know what to write or where to start...it can be as simple as writing down "I'm doing things differently from now on". I did that about 6 years ago at a difficult time in my life and was surprised how well I defended this decision (it was all I could do) and well, now my life is quite different , still with stress, but the kind I have control of now.
Here's a little gem from an article on Buddhism. I choose it because of it's relation to food and our thoughts.
Enjoy.

In our society, we spend a tremendous amount of energy controlling what goes into our bodies. We obsess about what’s in our food and where it’s grown and how it may or may not be healthy for us. If we are what we eat, we are also what we think. There’s no better metaphor for the thoughts in our brains than the modern supermarket, with aisle after aisle of both useful and superfluous items, various brands of almost exactly the same thing.

The effort of replacing negative thoughts with positive ones is like replacing an enormous bag of potato chips with a fresh peach. Instead of reaching for the thing I usually reach for when I’m ravenously hungry, which will only leave me feeling sluggish and gorged, I could reach for something less immediately desirable that will leave me feeling better in the long run.

I’m not accomplished enough to get out of the supermarket, but I can try to be more discriminating about what I put into the cart—what I chose for myself out of the endless inventory. I can reach for the peach, try as much as possible for the diet of joyful thoughts.

Read the complete article

Better Quality Food = Less Calories

As I mentioned yesterday, I am going to talk about calories and money. We are used to calling what and how we eat in North America (and globally now) the Standard American Diet or SAD (funny yet true) but after having read "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan, I would prefer a more apt description; the Capitalist Diet. Why? Well, our food system's main raison d'etre has been to increase food yields and to sell food as cheaply as possible. This focus has created a sort of blind spot which is the "incremental erosion in the nutritional quality of our food". (Pg 119). This nutritional deficit gets magnified in our bodies due to the simple fact that we have to eat more food in order to get the same amount of nutrients (a craving could be the result of this).

I could go on for a while about this because it is so astounding how our food culture and our health as a society has come to this point in time. Instead, I will point out a couple of theories from the book which exemplify the situation.

One theory of how food can "grow up" undernourished is due to the chemical fertilizers which they are grown in. These encourage the plant to grow more quickly and therefore gives them less time to accumulate nutrients. Simple. (organic produce is of course grown with the opposite in mind).

Another theory which illuminates how a high-calorie, low-nutrient diet is responsible for many chronic diseases including cancer is that this way of eating actually mimics DNA damage similar to that of radiation. The micronutrient (vitamin and minerals) deficiencies which occur in our bodies with this diet are subtle so we don't see scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) or rickets (vitamin D deficiency) however our DNA is still being altered by oxidative stress or free-radical damage; a potential precursor to cancer. This theory also sheds light on the obesity crisis; a body starved of critical nutrients will keep eating in the hope of obtaining them.

The moral of the story is 1) eat your fruits and veggies 2) eat "real food" which is as less processed as possible 3) go for quality not quantity.

As a holistic nutritionist, I found many gems in Pollan's book. It's not only well-written and researched but very appropriate in addressing the most critical issues that face us in food and health today.

A New Solution to an Old Problem

There's a program on CBC tonight that sounds interesting, it's called My Big Fat Diet ... and details an experiment by a First Nations community off Vancouver Island to give up sugar and junk food and return to a traditional style of eating for a year in a quest to fight obesity and diabetes. Together they've lost over 1200 lbs and are now calling on other First Nations to take the weight loss challenge.

I do think that their success has something to teach us, but what?

For those of us born on this continent in the last 40 years or so who are not native, what kind of diet do we have to go back to? Maybe the solution is parallel to this community's RX, not in what kind of food they are eating and thriving on but by the fact that their success is based on two things; incorporating the old with the new. In other words, each one of us has a "diet" we were raised on, which to a certain extent has worked for us (we are still alive). For the natives of Vancouver Island their traditional diet helped them to thrive for centuries, however on the reserves, the North American "capitalist" diet (this refers to the processed foods we eat that are meant to deliver the most calories at the lowest cost...I'll talk about that tomorrow) reigned supreme.

For any of us who have European ancestry, we actually can deal with complex carbohydrates (whole grains; barley, rye, rice, spelt etc.) better than natives due to the amount of time we've had to adapt (since 1870 with the introduction in Europe of rollers for grinding grain). Also, thanks to industrialization, we've been living in urban environments longer and hunting and gathering less.

It's quite a big topic but if you have ever admitted to yourself that the way you're eating is not actually feeding you, looking at where you come from is an interesting point to ponder.

The Un-diet

In the next few weeks, I want to explore the topic of "diet"; not to recommend one, that's an exercise in futility but to talk about some of the realities we face in trying to eat well in this city, climate, society and on this continent. Today, I'll start off with a site that presents a humorous look at some of the fad diets that have graced our bookshelves and competed with our sanity. I think it's a good place to start; a way to nostalgically wave good-bye to the concept of diet as we have come to know it. Here's an excerpt:

• One other thing this website is good for is if you made a bet with a friend ....about who could lose the most weight in one week. Well, it's day 6 and you are losing the race. Visit the Amputation Diet page -the page for some really useful tips to win that bet.

Here's the link: www.faddiet.com

The Good Food Box

The Good Food Box consists of a variety of fresh produce delivered to your home (within the city) around the 3rd week of the month.

Sign up and pay for your box at the beginning of the month. The choices are a $10 or $15 box and the produce is bought in bulk and distributed amongst those signing up.

A great way to increase your food budget.

Sign up by calling 705-942-2694 or emailing soupkitchen@email.com

Go to the soup kitchen website

Do You Have Time to Lose?

It was Benjamin Franklin's idea to set the clocks ahead in the spring so we could spend our daylight hours more productively (early to bed, early to rise...). Well the idea caught on; tomorrow, Sunday, is the day when we set our clocks forward and "spring ahead".

Franklin also said that "time is money", which may have sounded good back then but just the thought of that mantra as it relates to our present lifestyles, makes my heart race. Our society wants to make every minute count, even to the point of employing the language of banking in relation to time with verbs such as "saving", "investing" and "wasting".

As it turns out, this obsession with time is even making us sick. Believing that time is money to lose, we perceive our shortage of time as stressful. This situation then turns on our fight or flight mechanism. Consequently, the area of our brain that makes us calm down and plan time wisely is shut off. When we become erratic, we make mistakes and that takes time to fix. So more often our time is spent taking care of more tasks (like finding lost keys or correcting a mistake at work) and our productivity goes down.

The downstream effect is a rise in heart disease and depression, which are both stress-related illnesses and are linked to the majority of premature deaths in industrialized nations. It's seems like a cat chasing it's tail scenario.

So when you set your clocks ahead tomorrow, you might want to make a pact to give yourself some more time each day...with no strings attached. Being well-rested is a great investment in your health.

Read more

A Clutter-free Kitchen

The following is some thoughtful advice from an article in the New York Times about decluttering your kitchen and how it can lead to weight-loss. Although I believe that the road to good health and weight management are many fold and individual, this article does contain a few gems of insight, some of which I can attest to myself.

Having always loved to cook, I am now able to work out of my kitchen, making the food I love to eat for others and myself. This would not be possible if my cooking space were cluttered. I am not an organizing queen, however, I do know where everything is, how much I have and how long it's been there...including in the fridge. So I am not only able to feed myself and my partner well (we each have a well-organized kitchen) but others too. Now, imagine that scenario in your own life, no more good food going bad in the fridge or boxes of last years food fad in the cupboard etc. It's a task worth undertaking. Read on. By the way, my food coaching program does offer a kitchen declutter program. See what just 2 hours can do for you. Food and Fitness Coaching

Quality Local and Organic Meat

Some of you may remember a few of us around town used to sell Nutrafarms products. The company was based in Southern Ontario and would deliver their products to cities and towns as far "north" as the Sault and Wawa. I always new that there was a demand for good quality meat and poultry but unfortunately, Nutrafarms as a service was not sustainable. The good news is that there are local farmers and suppliers who offer all sorts of excellent meat, poultry and even diary for us to enjoy. The following list is basic for the moment; I will be adding more information and suppliers as the information arrives. Please call or e-mail if you would like to add anything to this list. Remember the only way to ensure a long-term supply is to support these farmers and spread the word to your friends and family. The Country Way and Garden of Eden health food stores also sell a selection of organic, quality animal products.

Penokean Hills Farms Inc.
Minimum Grade A, Government inspected beef, 100% free from growth hormones and antibiotics
705-971-6328
penokeanhillsfarms@gmail.com

Honeybrook Organic
Lamb, pork, cheese, vegetables, flowers
honeybrookorganic@yahoo.ca
Sheree and Robert Magee
Honeybrook-Organic-Farms Information

Grand North Bison
Natural, free-range bison meat
6949 Hwy 17 East, Debarats
782-6863
karhi@xplornet.com

Quiet Please

I don't know about you but there are times when there is no better medicine than just being quiet. Early mornings are great for that or for me sitting in the tub for an hour is also a regenerating experience. However, wanting quiet and getting quiet are two different things. So, having been inspired by a CBC interview and a magazine article, I have taken on a minimalist challenge of sorts which is attempting to uncover quiet places in the Sault. Those are the spots where it's possible to sit, close your eyes and "unthink" yourself well. My first choice is Whitefish Island, which is more like an oasis than part of an urban environment. My second would be Belleview Park and the rest, well, I'll have to do a survey and see what I come up with. I don't think I'll include specific park benches or exact locations because I think quiet places are obviously quite personal and should stay that way.

This is the article I was inspired by called "Learn to Sit Still"

I'll keep you posted,
Birgit

Winter Steamers

I mentioned yesterday about adding one serving (about one cup) of vegetables to your daily routine. Well, I thought I'd follow up with my favorite, no fuss way of preparing vegetables; steaming. It's very quick and versatile. Either I will add the steamed vegetable to a leftover meal or stew or I will make a warm meal out of it by adding some left over chicken, tofu or an egg then organic butter, parmesan, ground black pepper and (a little) raw garlic. By the way, I don't ever just make one cup of vegetables...a serving for me is almost a plateful, all the add-ons are like condiments (cheese, meat, cooked pasta for example). It's a great evening meal, filling and tasty but not heavy for sleeping.

Just a note, beets, potatoes, onions take the longest (25 minutes) while leafy greens take only about 5-8 minutes, however, you can decide on the textures you prefer. Keep in mind that slicing the vegetables in even pieces (either larger or smaller) makes a difference in cooking time too. Once you've tried this a couple of times and become comfortable with it, the whole process should only take about 30 minutes to complete.

I also thought that I would include a list of winter, seasonal vegetables for consideration the next time you are at the grocery store.

Artichokes, Avocado, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccoli Rabe, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chestnuts, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Lettuce, Parsnips, Radishes, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Snow Peas, Squash (winter), Sweet Potatoes, Turnip (white), Watercress

Because of the specific nutritional make-up of winter vegetables, eating them regularly (every day) will help to ensure a healthier immune system and balanced energy levels.

Enjoy,

Birgit

Getting Unstuck

Another snowstorm in the Sault and judging by the size of some of the snowbanks, it's starting to feel like the Alps, without the high gas prices ($5.57 USD per gallon in Germany!). I'm actually not about to tell you how to get your car out of the snowbank but rather how to encourage change in some chosen aspect of your life and/or health. I'll start small with a couple of ideas on how to get yourself moving and include a few more as the month goes on so as to encourage a more natural evolution.

1) Give yourself a shake, admit that you've fallen asleep at the wheel and found a cozy little rut to cruise in. "Issues" won't get better by themselves. Figure out where you are at and decide to take action.

2) Nothing new here; start small. The easiest way to stay stuck is by vowing to change your life...completely. You wouldn't believe how small a baby step can be. By acknowledging this, it will allow you to work on another and another after that. Nutritionally, you could push yourself to add an extra cup of vegetables and one extra fruit to your day...anyway that works for you, then modify your technique as you go on. (I'm a fan of soup for breakfast, with an egg and a piece of spelt toast (with butter!). It works for me but I wasn't doing it this way 6 months ago). On the fitness side; how about a 5 minute stretch or a 10 minute walk in the morning. These could lead to a more active lifestyle. Just in case you feel like making an excuse for not exercising read this first: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/the-cure-for-exhaustion-more-exercise/